Cao Kaiyong's Mailbox: Fatigue after sex is not necessarily due to kidney deficiency; how can drivers nourish themselves?

**Cao Kaiyong's Mailbox**

**Fatigue after sexual intercourse is not a sign of kidney deficiency.**

**Dr. Cao:**

After every sexual encounter, I feel sweaty, short of breath, tired, and lethargic, like a deflated balloon. Is this normal? I always suspect that this phenomenon is due to kidney deficiency.

Jiao XX

Mr. Jiao:

We know that sweating, fatigue, and lethargy that men experience after orgasm and ejaculation are normal physiological phenomena that do not harm the body and are not caused by kidney deficiency.

Generally speaking, the male sexual response cycle can be divided into four phases: excitement, plateau, orgasm, and resolution. During the excitement phase, in addition to penile erection, there is subcutaneous venous congestion, sexual flushing, increased heart rate, and a slight increase in blood pressure. During the plateau phase, the flushing continues to develop and spreads throughout the body. The muscles throughout the body experience mild spasmodic contractions, and the heart rate increases significantly, averaging 90-130 beats per minute. Blood pressure rises, but sweating is not significant. During the orgasm phase, i.e., before and momentarily before ejaculation, voluntary muscle control is lost, and muscles undergo involuntary contractions and spasms. The respiratory rate can reach 40 beats per minute, and the heart rate can increase to 110-160 beats per minute. Blood pressure rises significantly, and sweating may occur. During the resolution phase, i.e., after ejaculation, the penis softens, the sexual flushing disappears rapidly, and respiration, heart rate, and blood pressure quickly return to normal. This phase may be accompanied by significant sweating, with sweat covering the entire body.

The changes throughout the entire sexual response cycle reveal that men lose far more than just a few milliliters of semen during intercourse; they expend a considerable amount of physical strength and energy. Some statistics show that the changes in breathing and heart rate during orgasm are comparable to those of a sprinter in a 100-meter race, with sweating reaching 100-300 milliliters during intercourse. Because blood circulation accelerates and breathing quickens during intercourse, consuming a significant amount of energy, and after ejaculation, heart rate and breathing rapidly return to normal, cardiac output decreases rapidly, and blood supply to the brain decreases, leading to feelings of fatigue and exhaustion-like a "deflated balloon." However, this is nothing to fear, as sexual activity is a normal physiological activity, just like eating, exercising, and working. As long as it is properly arranged, it will not have adverse effects. Furthermore, sexual activity is also a component of biological activity; from a biological perspective, it is a pre-ordained physiological phenomenon.

As long as everything follows the natural physiological process, there will be no adverse effects. The standards are twofold: first, a physiological benchmark is that after two hours of rest following ejaculation, one feels no fatigue upon waking; second, a psychological benchmark is that after intercourse, one does not experience irritability or anxiety, but instead feels relaxed and refreshed. Mastering these two benchmarks will not have any adverse effects on the body.

**Cao Kaiyong**

Taxi drivers should pay attention to nutrition.

**Dr. Cao:**

I am a taxi driver and I am very tired every day. How should I nourish myself?

Lao ××

Mr. Lao:

Due to my profession, I've come into contact with many taxi driver friends. "Toiling away all day, never a moment's rest" perfectly describes the life of a professional taxi driver. Long working hours, a monotonous and rigid posture, and prolonged sitting leading to fatigue are unavoidable for every driver. This nature of their work means that drivers expend more energy and physical strength than their peers. Lack of concentration, dizziness, stiffness and weakness in the limbs are all significant hidden dangers. Prolonged sitting also puts constant pressure on the perineum, causing urinary discomfort and increasing the probability of developing prostate problems.

Drivers often hope to get a good night's sleep after driving. However, due to excessive fatigue, some people cannot effectively restore their energy simply by sleeping, and they need to be properly nourished.

Excessive life pressure and a fast-paced lifestyle, along with the depletion of yin essence in family life, lead to a gradual loss of energy in modern men, manifesting as persistent fatigue, lack of energy, lower back pain and weak legs, insufficient mental capacity, and physical weakness.

Traditional Chinese medicine advocates that men should nourish themselves in a way that balances Yin and Yang, and should not blindly use aphrodisiacs, as this can easily lead to internal heat and worsen general discomfort. Choosing the right nourishing methods can achieve the effects of "gradual tonification to treat the root cause, gentle and lasting benefits," thereby preventing the occurrence of male diseases and promoting a harmonious and happy family life.

**Cao Kaiyong**